Suited and Booted for Seaworx (http://k38ukrescue.blogspot.com/2011/06/suited-and-booted-for-seaworx.html)

Tuesday, 14 June 2011

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K38 UK have been invited to join Yamaha Motors UK at Seaworx Commercial Marine Exhibition and Forum (www.seawork.com) as part of a joint commercial users project. K38 UK and Yamaha have been working together for 18 months to co promote K38 Training Programs and Waverunner RWC's (Rescue Watercraft). The project is a fresh approach to Watercraft trials made by Emergency Services in the UK who are looking at Rescue Watercraft as an alternative to traditional patrol and rescue vessels.

Currently Kent and Norfolk Police are trialing the Yamaha Police Spec VX

Its hard enough as it is! (http://k38ukrescue.blogspot.com/2011/06/its-hard-enough-as-it-is.html)

Wednesday, 15 June 2011

<STYLE>#fullpost{display:none;}</STYLE>Just returned from Seaworx 2011 and a big thanks must go out to Yamaha UK for inviting us onto the stand. It was very interesting seeing some different RWC derived products but it amazes me why people choose to use wave jumping images in their promo material.

For the past 5 years we have been trying to promote Personnel Watercraft or Rescue Watercraft through the 'K38 Way' of training. A massive component of Shawn Alladios training focuses on discipline. We have at our finger tips an enormously powerful tool (not a toy) capable of speeds in excess of 55 mph.
It is extremely rare that in a rescue capacity we would ever touch these speeds as we run the risk of injuring ourselves, crew and any casualties we have on board.

I think it is fair to say that the negative stereo type associated with these craft is the reason why emergency service managers are often reluctant to even consider them. I hear about the 'worries' managers have regarding the craft and how their personnel will always be 'on a jolly' that because they are powerful machines 'staff will get injured'. These fears are credible but with a correct training structure that K38 delivers and strong project management injuries will be minimised.

So why do suppliers and commercial users promote what they do with pictures and videos of the craft wave jumping and driving fast, doing donuts and chucking loads of spray. Is this not the type of operating that we try to avoid? Is this not the image that concerns the people with the purse strings.

In commercial applications wave jumping shouldnt happen, it puts the operator, crew, victim(s) and other water users at risk from injury. It is a sign that the operator isn't in control and doesnt fully understand craft dynamics.

Whislt it may look good, surely it is not the best way to promote such a strong rescue tool.

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The small village of Arnside sits on the Kent Estuary a very picturesque setting for thousands of walkers, bird watchers and a few canoeist drawn to the area to ride the tidal bore that surges along the estuary banks. The beauty hides many dangers that the unsuspecting visitors on rare occasion, unwittingly fall foul. The estuary leads into Morecombe bay an area that has been associated with its own tragedy. Not to make it sound a location of doom and gloom, there are many thousands of visitors who come to the area and donít even get their wellington boots stuck. But for those that do get stuck in the mud, sink in the quicksand or get caught by the bore the local volunteer rescue services strive to ensure the visitors leave.
The Arnside Coastguard team have the task of being on call waiting for their pagers to sound or vibrate ready to answer the often complicated call for help. With an all terrain vehicle the Argo Cat to deal with mud and quicksand and a Yamaha Waverunner for the water, the team are one of the most well equipped in the country.
K38 UK is proud to deliver the teams PWC rescue training as HM Coastguards preferred supplier we had honour of delivering the K38 Way to the second group of HM Coastguard Volunteers.
The Arnside team have embraced the PWC after their General Purpose Boat was removed from service. The team members are passionate and committed to their job patrolling and responding to the emergencies along the estuary. K38 UK is privileged to be part of this unprecedented HM Coastguard project